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The Music is Black Playlist

Exhibition

The Music is Black: A British Story

  • Opens Saturday, 18 April 2026

  • V&A East Museum

Here is a list of every song featured in the audio soundscape for The Music is Black: A British Story at V&A East Museum. You can also hear a handpicked selection of the music on BBC Sounds.

Act I: The Origins of Musical Expression

1.1 Music, Nature and Indigeneity

Reflected Fragments (Koromanti), Bankey Ojo, 2026

Fragments of Angola, Bankey Ojo, 2026

Passage of Time B (Koromanti), Bankey Ojo, 2026

Hark My Soul! It is the Lord, Newton & Cowper, The Coventry Singers, 2013

1.3 Religion

Allegri: Miserere Mei, Deus (Psalm 51), The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, Richard Marlow, 1993

Abatatchin Hoy, Alèmu Aga (Bèguèna), 2022

Woke Up this Morning (With my Mind Stayed on Freedom), Resistance Revival Chorus, 2020

Amazing Grace, The Singing Stewarts, 1976

Az-Zumar, Chapter 39 (verse 53), Al-Qur'an Al-Karim (The Holy Koran), Shaykh Ali Al-Hudhaify, 2011

Act II: ‘Great’ Britain

2.1 Modernity..? 1900 – 1948

Dixie Jass Band One-Step, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, 1916

Traditional: Deep River (Arr. Isata Kanneh-Mason for Ensemble), The Kanneh-Masons, 2025

Memphis Blues, Lt. James Reese Europe's 369th U.S. Infantry "Harlem Hellfighers" band, 1916/17

My Landlady (ft. Freddy Grant's Caribean Rhythm), Lord Kitchener, 1952

Victory Test Match, Lord Beginner, 1950

Mona Baptiste, Calypso Blues, 1951

2.2 Home..? 1948 – 1969

Ping Pong Samba - Instrumental, Sterling Betancourt with Russell Henderson’s Calypso Band, 1952

Ghana Freedom, E.T. Mensah, The Tempos, 1957

Osibisa, Music for Gong Gong, Universal Music Operations Ltd, 1971

Let's have a Party (Pt. 1), Winifred Atwell, 1953

Angi, Davy Graham, 1963

This Train, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1939

Hound Dog, Big Mama Thornton, 1953

Hound Dog, Elvis Presley, 1956

Gee’s Boogie, Rico's Combo, 1960

Goldfinger, Shirley Bassey, 1964

Diamonds are Forever, Shirley Bassey,1971

Moonraker, Shirley Bassey, 1979

Albe-Jo Sho, Amie Kallon, 2011

Act III: The Boldness of Black British Music

3.1 Reggae

My Boy Lollipop, Millie Small, 1964

Ah Weh, Blackbeard Dennis Bovell, 1978

Wake Up Jah-man-can, The Cimarons, 1976

3.2 Lover’s Rock and Brit Funk

Hurt So Good, Susan Cadogan, 1974

Silly Games, Janet Kay, 1982

Spell, Sylvia Tella, 1981

Hopelessly in Love, Carroll Thompson, 1981

Dim the Light, Winston Reedy, 1983

Spend the Night, The Cool-Notes, 1985

Boogie Nights, Heatwave, 1976

London Town, Light of the World, 1992

Somebody Help Me Out, Beggar & Co, 1981

Something About You, Level 42, 1985

Tribute (Right On), The Pasadenas, 1988

Apparently Nothin' [12" Mix], Young Disciples, 1991

When You Gonna Learn, Jamiroquai, 1992

3.3 2-Tone

On My Radio, The Selecter, 1979

Ghost Town, The Specials, 1981

Let's Do Rock Steady, The Bodysnatchers, 1980

3.4 Jungle and Drum & Bass

Spliffhead, The Ragga Twins, 1991

Open Eyes, Cleveland Watkiss, 2002

Voodoo Ray, A Guy Called Gerald, 1989

Circles, Adam F, 1997

Raggamuffin, Shy FX, 2019

Inner City Life, Goldie, 1994

Original Nuttah, Shy FX and UK Apachi, 1995

Incredible, M-Beat ft. General Levy, 1994

We Are I.E, Lennie De Ice, 1991

Kemistry (Doc Scott Remix), Kemistry & Storm with Goldie, 1996

3.5 Trip-Hop (The Bristol Sound)

The Sea, Morcheeba,1998

Unfinished Sympathy, Massive Attack, 1991

Destiny, Zero 7, 2001

Anyone, Smith and Mighty, 1988

Hell is Round the Corner, Tricky, 1995

Anything, Martina Topley-Bird, 2003

Sour Times, Portishead,1994

3.6 UK Garage and Grime

21 Seconds, So Solid Crew, 2001

My Love (10° Below Vocal Mix), Kele Le Roc, 1999

Re-Rewind, Artful Dodger ft. Craig David, 1999

All I Want, Mis-Teeq, 2001

Sincere, MJ Cole ft. Jay Dee and Nova Caspar, 2000

Crazy Love, MJ Cole ft. Elisabeth Troy, 2000

Eskimo, Wiley, 2004

Unorthodox Daughter, No Lay, 2008

Red Card, Frisco ft. Skepta, Jammer, JME & Shorty, 2020

One Wish, Shystie, 2004

96 Bars of Revenge, JME, 2011

Champagne Dance, Pay As U Go Cartel, 2007

Stand Up Tall, Dizzee Rascal, 2004

It Ain’t Safe, Skepta ft. Young Lord, 2016

Act IV

4.1 Challenges

La traviata: È STRANO, Nadine Benjamin, Borja Gómez-Ferrer, Kamal Khan, The NB Opera Ensemble, 2018

Ballade in A Minor, Op. 33: Pt. 2, Samuel Coleridge Taylor, performed by Chineke! Orchestra, conductor Kalena Bovell, 2022

Be Thou My Vision, Triptych for Orchestra, Antonio Pappano (performed for The Coronation of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla), 2023

See the Day, Dee C Lee, 1986

I'm Gonna Get You, Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown, 1992

Lola's Theme, The Shapeshifters, 2004

If We Lose Our Way, Paul Johnson, 1994

Red Alert, Basement Jaxx, 1999

There’s Nothing Like This, OMAR, 1990

Love and Affection, Joan Armatrading, 1976

Overload, Sugababes, 2000

Sails, Elton John, 1968

Rip It Up, Orange Juice, 1982

Johnny Come Home, Fine Young Cannibals, 1985

Caroline, Arlo Parks, 2021

(Remember the Days of) The Old Schoolyard, Linda Lewis, 1996

Oh, Bondage! Up Yours, X-Ray Spex, 1977

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On the Run), Billy Ocean, 1984

Mama Used To Say, JI, 2012

That’s the Way It Is (7” Version), Mel & Kim, 1987

Crazy, Seal, 1990

I know Where It’s At (Original Mix), All Saints, 1997

I’m Kissing You, Des’ree, 1996

You Got the Love, Graeme Park, Mike Pickering, Manchester Camerata, Tim Crooks, Rowetta, Audrey Mattis, AMC Choir, 2016

Rain or Shine, Five Star, 1986

4.2 The British Sound of…

A Change Is Sure To Come, Courtney Pine, 2017

Fair Play, Soul II Soul, 1989

So Good (Deluxe Edition), Mica Paris, 1989

Wishing Well, Sananda Maitreya, 1987

Hangin’ On a String, Loose Ends, 1992

The Sweetest Taboo, Sade, 1985

Look Who’s Loving Me, Eshe Escoffery, Sandra Escoffery, 2015

Amen, This Little Light of Mine, Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir (performed for The Royal Wedding), 2018

A Deeper Love (C+C Radio Mix), Aretha Franklin, 1993

Doin’ the Do (7” Version), Betty Boo, 1990

Born This Way, Cookie Crew, 1988

The Show, Slick Rick, Doug. E. Fresh, 2022

Buffalo Stance, Neneh Cherry, 1989

Good Groove, Derek B, 1988

Bring Forth the Guillotine, Silver Bullet, 1991

Buffalo Gals, Malcolm Mclaren, 1983

Speech Therapy, Speech DeBelle, 2009

Big For Your Boots, Stormzy, 2017

Gorilla, Little Simz, 2022

Night, Benga, Coki, 2008

Midnight Request Line, Skream, 2006

Beasts of No Nation, Fela Kuti, 1989

Letter to TINA, Fuse ODG, 2014

Free Mind, Tems, 2020

Whiskey in the Jar, Thin Lizzy, 1973

6 A.M., V9, 2024

Intellectualise my Blackness, Skunk Anansie, 1995

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